Fire-escape.



Patented Dec. 9, i902.

C. B. SMiTH.

FIRE- ESCAPE. n (A ppicaeiqn mea sept. 1o, 1901.;

No Model.)

W-TNESSES 46W/ Q dad f-Mlm@ 5MM a A N10/TME V5 UNITED STATES CHARLES BOWTELL SMITH, OF DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,308, dated December 9, 1902.

Application filed September l0, 1901. Serial No. 74,952. (No inodel.)

To 1f/ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES Bow'rELL SMITH, a British subject, residing at Dunedin, in the Colony of New Y'ealand, have invented a new and useful Improved Fire-Escape; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the saine.

My invention, which consists of a compact apparatus for use by persons to descend from the upper stories of a burning building tothe ground, is illustrated on the accompanying drawings, to which reference will be made for a full description.

Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus when open. Fig. 2 is a view of the saine closed. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the grippingjaws with the strands of the rope shown in section between them.

Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The casing is formed in two parts 1 and 2, hinged together by a bolt 3 passing through them. The interior of the casing has spiral grooves 4. The rope 5 is made long enough to reach from a window, balcony, or the like to the ground and is looped upon a hook 6 or other convenient support on the wall of the house outside or inside the roorn. The rope is passed through holes 7 and 8 in the top of the casing, and the parts of it inside the casing are intertwined and then threaded through holes 9 and l0 in the arms 14 15 at the bottom of the casing. These arms 14 15 are provided to enable a person standing on the ground to slightly open the apparatus by separating the ropes.

11 is a bolt working in a slot 1S and provided with a thumb-screw 12 for keeping the two parts of the casing closed.

13 is a stirrup attached to the bottom of the casing.

The apparatus is used in its-closed position, the parts being so arranged that the rope is firmly gripped by the grooves 4 before the two parts of the casing meet together.

The slot 18, in which the bolt 11 works, is made so that the two parts of the casing grip the rope sufficiently to maintain a weight less than that of any person likely to use the escape.

A person about to use the escape grips the apparatus, thus pressing the sides 1 and 2 of the casing toward each other, so as to close upon the rope. He may also place his foot or feet in the stirrup 13, and by regulating the pressure ot" his grip on the apparatus he is enabled to descend steadily and safely to the ground.

It the person using the apparatus should lose his nerve and grip it so tightly as to prevent his descent, another person on the ground can spread the ropes apart, which operation will by means of the leverage afforded by the arms 14 15 separate the two parts ofthe oasing sufticiently to allow the person to descend. Further, a person standing on the ground is enabled by spreading the ropes to arrest the descent of another person at will.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi 1. A fire-escape comprising a casing made of `two parts and provided with helical ways therein, a double rope passing through said ways and eyesthrough which the rope is threaded, substantially as described.

2.V A fire-escape comprising a casing made in two parts and provided with helical ways, a double rope passing through said helical grooves, diverging arms on the lower ends of said parts, and eyes on said arms through which the ropes pass, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES BOV/*TELL SMITH.

Witnesses:

A. E. PARK, J. R. PARK. 

